Swedish Blog

It’s that time of year again. Time for health insurance decisions. Many of our multiple sclerosis patients are probably reviewing their current plans, and considering whether they need to change plans or adjust the ones they have now. Here’s information and resources to help you make those decisions.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. But there’s hope for people with lung cancer. Here’s where we stand in 2016 and what you can do to help prevent lung cancer, raise awareness of the disease and promote research.

Mental illness is a reality for millions of Americans of all ages, races and cultural backgrounds. “It doesn’t matter what you look like or where you are from, mental illness can affect anyone,” said Arpan Waghray, M.D., medical director of behavioral health at Swedish. In fact, 50 percent of people experience mental health challenges at some point in life - ranging from a brief bout of the blues, to depression or anxiety.

Imagine you’re a teenager and your world revolves around trying to be cool. Then you get pilonidal disease, a skin infection near the tailbone that can cause severe pain, discharge and deep embarrassment. Parents who are aware of this disease can help a suffering child.

Approximately 3.5 to 5.3 million Americans are infected with viral hepatitis, but most people do not know they are part of a silent epidemic. This puts them at greater risk of developing severe complications of hepatitis and more likely to spread the virus to others. That’s why the federal government has called on certain groups of Americans to get tested for chronic forms of hepatitis and, if needed, undergo treatment.

Is using a loofah really the best way to exfoliate and care for your skin? Swedish pediatrician Melissa Genualdi, M.D., says that to avoid bacteria, it’s much healthier to stick with the old-fashioned washcloth. Watch this video to learn more about the case against loofahs, plus the latest on liquid soap versus bar soap and the best way to moisturize your skin.

As our nation’s obesity epidemic grows, board-certified obesity clinicians are taking on more responsibility for treating this condition. Obesity is a complex disease and, as many primary care providers have discovered, effective care goes far beyond telling a patient to eat less and exercise more.

The annual meeting of the European Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, the largest scientific conference dedicated to MS, took place in September in London. We look at the highlights from more than 1,500 topics presented.